Monday Mealings (Series part 1)

so remember this post from last week or so? well here i go.. diving headfirst into this scary, hard, treacherous, emotional road. this side of my world leaves me very vulnerable to the world. i am incredibly sensitive about my weight and just the way i look.

as i've said before i think it's completely 'normal' to feel some sense of uncomfortableness with the image we see looking back at us from the mirror. am i right or am i right?

so i have decided to dive head first and not look back. all this knowing there are bumps and turns, ditches and valleys, highs and lows along the way.

i am starting 2 different accountability programs with myself. i have found through numerous and numerous, oh and NUMEROUS weight loss attempts seeing the results just aren't enough for me. weird right?? you'd think seeing the pounds being shaved off, the pants fitting better, the tummy not pudging so much, the lack of the hip swag-and-forth-to-get-your-too-small-pants-over-your-ever-growing-ass-dance --- but they don't. because it never fails, i get bored, i get cravings and i ultimately give in.

so the first accountability i am doing is with my sweet friend and dietican SM. to say she's amazing would be kind.. her ideas are inevitably brilliant yet so simple (it's like that DIY project you see on pinterest and think DUH why didn't i think of that) yup those kinds of moments.

she's motivating, and encouraging and i never feel like i'm bothering her. :) she's made me a great workout routine and has been coaching me through some of the 'negative' self talk.

she rocks.

2nd accountability program??? YOU'RE READING IT!!! ;) (insert round of applause here)

i am going to make myself accountable to you my sweet readers :) it here, every monday that i will post the daily dealings of the week prior. and i will share IT ALL.

as you know (if you have followed me for any length of time) i'm not one to sugar coat things. i get down to business and speak it how it evolves in my mind. and so.. i will share all things weight loss.

here's how the process will go..

-- i will share weekly weigh-in & measurement results along with pounds/inches lost. (and in the off-chance i gain poundage back, i too will share that)
     --eventually i will share progression pics.. not quite to that point yet

-- my meal plan for the week 
      -- this week i will share both since this is the first of the series (i have to play catch up)

--  photos of the weeks meals from the week prior (follow me on IG to get up to date photos )
      -- if there is a recipe you would like done, just ask and you shall receive :)

-- tips & tricks
     -- both the SUCCESSFUL ones and the NOT so successful ones - remember what worked for us may not work for you and vice versa

-- and last but not least, struggles that i had, cheating i did, and any other ups and downs experienced.

i think we all watch these reality shows (biggest loser for example) and see these amazing weight loss stories, and while we definitely see thier trials and tribulations, we also see the celebs who pop out a baby one day and are sportin their string bikinis in a size neg 3 the next day and we wonder... and so we try quick fixes. i want to show you i'm just like you. i'm an everyday person with everyday problems trying to deal with everyday life.

and so begins... Monday Mealings

Stats:

Last week (8/19)
* Weight: 162.6 lbs
* Abdomen: 32 inches
* Upper Arm: 12 inches
* Thigh: 23.5 inches

This week (8/26)
* Weight: 160.8 lbs
* Abdomen: 31 inches
* Upper Arm: 12 inches
* Thigh: 22.5

Total Loss
* Weight: -1.8 lbs
* Abdomen: -1 inch
* Upper Arm: 0
*Thigh: -1 inch

Last weeks meal plan:

 For the longest we always meal planned on Sunday and then went grocery shopping for the week. as our schedules changed and we both became increasingly more busy it just didn't work out for us that way. so what ended up happening? we didn't meal plan + not grocery shopping = eating out EVERY.SINGLE.DAY... and a hefty price to pay i might add. after talking to SM she suggested to shop during the week. (duh!!!! light bulb!!) so we looked at my schedule and decided i would meal plan on sundays and shop on mondays! it was perfect. J and i could still have a good day together on sunday (since this is really our ONLY day together it seems anymore) and i can get in and get out and have some 'me' time at the store. the meal plan below outlines starting on tuesday just because that's houw it ended up working out last night. but that's the beauty of a meal plan.. you do it whenever it suits your schedule. but the trick??? DO A MEAL PLAN!!!!

i've also listed the date and my work schedule in the ( ). just so i know if i need to plan something quick when i work a 3rd (430am - 800pm) just gives me a good visual

 Here is this weeks meal plan:

here you'll notice several different things. first i don't have a 'snacks' column and i only have 5 days worth of meals. 'planning' snacks was kind of unneccasary. now if we had school-age kids in the house maybe a different story, but for it just being J and I we just like to grab the quickest and easiest snack.. it may not neccessarily be what's on the menu. i know i'll always have extra fruit, cheese sticks, granola bars, almonds, 100 cal packs, etc. so we just grab those.

as for the lack of a full week's worth of planning.. we have some good friends (Savanna's GodParents :) ) coming into town on Sunday evening, and so we're doing a plan with them :) don't worry i'll still share it :) 

I'll explain how i meal plan in a later post if you'd like. just let me know if this is something you'd like to see :)

Meals from last week:

Disclaimer: I don't have a pic from each and every meal, and i DID fall off the bandwagon a couple times.. but here's a good idea :)

 This is a whole day's worth of meals a 'food journal' so to speak

B: granola bar & banana
S1: cheese stick & 1 oz almonds
L: Tuna sandwich with spring mix & tomato with a kiwi and carrot sticks with ranch for side
S2: granola bar
D: shrimp stir fry

this was for breakfast one day: just a ww (whole wheat) tortilla with almond butter and sliced bananas - i wrapped in foil and put in the fridge (would be a delicious dessert also)

SNACK TIME! almonds and grapes - a delicous mixture :)

for this the night before we had turkey burgers. 4 came in a pack of pre-formed patties. we each had a burger for dinner leaving 2 leftover. we each brought one for lunch but without the bread. in the back there is some ketchup to dip in, and since i didn't have the bread i did splurge on some chips :) and i completed the meal with an apple

 tips & tricks both helpful and failed

SM had the awesome idea of pre-making our salads for the week. you basically make the 'base' and just add your protein to make a complete salad. here's how i prepped it.

we found a large tupperware and used a spring mix and bag of baby spinach and dumped it in the tupperware. 

Here it is in the tupperwar

we then picked out our veggies and chopped them all up. we used mushrooms, broccoli, cucumbers & shredded carrots

chopped and poured. i didn't really 'mix' it up, we just kinda grabbed and put it in our individual tupperwares for work and ended up getting a little of everything.

slapped the lid on and threw it in the fridge.

 in theory this is a perfect set up. you grab a little salad and then grab a different type of protein and dressing and you're good to go. i definitely love salads.. BUT i found this tip unsuccessful for our household. we ended up just wasting more then was necessary. i wish this worked for us but it just didn't perhaps if we did it in a smaller portion it may. but in terms of doing salad everyday for lunches a definite bust. but maybe it will work for you??? let me know if you try it and love it!! i know SM does!!! :)

my other tip & trick (brought to me courtesy of SM of course)

pack my lunch the night before! (once again DUH)

i am infamous for waiting until the morning (thats 4 in the morning) to pack my lunch. OR i just say eff it! and end up eating at the burrito shop down the street for breakfast and then mcdonalds for lunch. why thank-you 5000 calories for adding another ass cheek :/

so i clean the kitchen IMMEDIATELY after eating and all the while i also pack our lunches. but the key is to do it right away. like as soon as you swallow that last bite, get off your lazy ass, quit moaning and groaning and JUST DO IT!!! :) but seriously i would sit and sit and sit after i was done eating and so i would (maybe) drop my plate off in the sink before bed therefore not leaving time to wash the dishes and clean the kitchen nor the energy to pack my lunch. there's just something that feels pleasant and fresh about coming home to a clean kitchen.

and now let me just share a few ups and downs. i have a hard time with self control. my portion control has been non-existent and my lack of motivation is overwhelmingly overtaking my body. i try to justify why it's ok that i've downed that burger or why it's ok that i just practically licked my bowl of ice cream clean. but at the end of the day i end up kicking myself in the ass because i know it really wasn't worth it. i mean, in the moment it was kick ass. my taste buds thrived and my stomach did the happy dance. but that extra dimple on the back of my legs??? yea he's happy too because he found a new home on my ass! me? not so happy in the long run.

i want to reach my goals because yes i do want to look hot in a bathing suit, i don't want to be mortified by how puffy my face looks in pics, or how grotesque my thighs feel rubbing together in a dress but ultimately i just want to be healthy. i want to live a good and healthy life for myself, for J, and for my future children. i want to give them all the best chance possible to spend the most time with me in a good condition.

while i know this post is incredibly long-winded, if you made it all the way through i thank-you and bless you! :) the future postings of this series won't be nearly as long as i had some explainin to do :) next week we'll get down to business :)

next week i'll share what workouts i've been doing too :)

happy trails!!! xoxo